Crimini Mushrooms – All You Need to Know | Instacart Guide to Fresh Produce

What are crimini mushrooms?

Not familiar with mushroom varieties? You might be wondering, what are crimini mushrooms?

Crimini mushrooms (also spelled cremini mushrooms) are the slightly more mature version of the common white button mushroom. They’re also referred to as brown mushrooms in some circles, as well as baby bella mushrooms or Italian mushrooms.

Although they’re more mature than the white button mushroom, they’re still considered immature. Crimini mushrooms are great to use in soups, omelets, pasta, risottos, tacos, quesadillas, tarts, salads, and bruschettas. They’re also used for making gravies and sauces.

Crimini mushrooms contain a lot of water, which means they take less time to cook, making them a great choice for dishes where the mushrooms need to be caramelized.

Crimini mushrooms can be used in any recipe that calls for mushrooms. They pair well with seafood and fish, game, beef, chicken, garlic, cream, herbs, wine, rice, pasta, pork, and onions.

They’re typically native to grassland areas and have a round shape, smooth cap, and deep, savory flavor.

Where did crimini mushrooms originate from?

Mushrooms can be traced back to prehistoric lakes of Germany, Switzerland, and Australia, where they were used to provide shamanistic and religious visions and help people relax. There’s also some evidence of their use in North Africa (primarily from cave drawings and statues found in Central America). The Aztecs described them as sacred and as “teonanacatl,” or “flesh of the gods.”

What are the benefits of eating crimini mushrooms?

Although crimini mushrooms offer smaller amounts of vitamins and minerals than other vegetables, their health benefits come from other factors like the bacteria and enzymes they possess.

Crimini mushrooms also provide 1g of fiber and 5g of protein. They also contain about 92g of water and about 4g of carbs. Not to mention, these mushrooms have less than 1g each of fat and fiber.

They can also treat and prevent fatigue, reduce the risk for metabolic syndrome, help restore gut health, and provide a hefty dose of potassium.

How are crimini mushrooms grown?

Crimini mushrooms are a little more complicated to grow than other types of mushrooms, but if you want to take a swing at it, a growing medium is needed because mushrooms have no chlorophyll.

This means they have to get all of their nutrients from the organic matter in their growing medium. Most growers use compost made of dried poultry litter, straw, gypsum, canola meal, and water. In the first 4 weeks, these ingredients are blended and placed into “tunnels” where air is forced through the material. This process is closely monitored until the compost is ready for pasteurizing.

The spawning of the compost is done in weeks 5 and 6. Week 7 through 9 are when the mushrooms begin to form. And finally, the picking and packing come in weeks 10 through 12.

When are crimini mushrooms in season?

The peak season for mushrooms harvested in the wild is fall and winter. However, almost all varieties of mushrooms are available year-round at your local supermarkets.

What should I look for when buying crimini mushrooms?

When picking out fresh crimini mushrooms, pay attention to the look, feel, and application of the mushroom. The look can indicate how fresh the mushroom is. Make sure there are no wrinkles, bruises, or slimy spots. If you’re looking for a bold, deep flavor, choose crimini mushrooms with deep brown gills showing. If you’re going for a milder flavor, find crimini mushrooms with no gills showing on the underside of the mushroom.

Instacart users can give their shoppers information in the app to help them choose the best crimini mushrooms. Just use the “Instructions” section to write notes about what to look for.

Want fresh produce like crimini mushrooms delivered to your door? Get same-day produce delivery with Instacart!

How to store crimini mushrooms

Crimini mushrooms contain a lot of water, which means they can easily turn moldy. To avoid this, use them as soon as possible and store them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days (if they’re not wrapped or encased in plastic). Plastic traps moisture, which can speed up the molding process.

If you’re buying whole mushrooms, it’s best to store them loosely in a crisper drawer on the humid setting with a clean paper towel under them. If you buy them sliced in the plastic container, you can still store them in the crisper drawer, but make sure to remove the plastic wrap first.

How to tell if crimini mushrooms are bad

You’ll know your crimini mushrooms have gone bad if they’re slimy, they have wrinkles, they have dark spots, or they are becoming darker overall. If you’ve had them longer than 2 weeks, chances are they’ve gone bad. Another way to tell if they’ve gone bad is to smell them. If they give off a noticeable or strong odor, throw them out right away. If you’re sticking your nose into them, you should smell a mushroom scent, but it should be subtle.

What can I substitute for crimini mushrooms?

Out of crimini mushrooms? Not to worry. You can substitute them with shiitake mushrooms. You can also substitute them with white button mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, or eggplant. If crimini mushrooms don’t represent a large portion of your meal, you can substitute them with cauliflower, ground chickpeas, marinated tofu, and zucchini.

Finding fresh crimini mushrooms

Whipping up something special sometime soon, but don’t have the time to make it to the grocery store for crimini mushrooms? Get crimini mushrooms delivered with Instacart.

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